6 Responses to “[ Retro Scan of the Week ] Aim High: Air Force”

US Navy, 1997-2001. We used a special pack of Microsoft Flight Simulator to learn the local course rules in Corpus Christi, TX, when I was learning to be a pilot. After that, basically just had to use MS Access a lot to maintain budget data for my unit.

20 years in the U.S. Air Force, 1981-2001. Used computerized test stations to diagnose and repair aircraft electronics. Used desktop computers to maintain component history databases. Later used a networked MS Access database to track aircraft status and locations. Also PCs for email communications as well as writing reports. In the early 80s computers were scarce, maybe just a handful per squadron. Our supply had them as well as the orderly room. By the late 90s there was a computer on nearly every desk.

Navy was much the same. Only weird and wonky thing I ever encountered was a box made to emulate a DEC PDP-11. Unfortunately, only heard of it in a meeting with an engineering group but never got to lay hands on it.